Family violence is a serious issue that can have a devastating impact on victims. It can cause physical, emotional, and financial harm and make living a normal life difficult.

Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported, regardless of their circumstances. This policy is designed to provide practical assistance and emotional support to customers struggling with family violence.

Policy on Supporting Customers Affected by Family Violence

• Purpose: This policy ensures that creditors provide sensitive and supportive treatment to customers affected by family violence.
• Scope: This policy applies to all customers of the creditor, regardless of the type of debt or the amount owed.
• Definitions:
  • Family violence: Family violence is any act of violence, abuse, or threat of violence used to control or intimidate a family member. This can include physical, sexual, emotional, financial, or psychological abuse.
  • Customer: A customer is any person or entity who owes the creditor money.
• Responsibilities:
  • The creditor should:
    • Train its employees on how to identify and respond to customers who are affected by family violence.
    • Create a confidential process for customers to disclose that they are affected by family violence.
    • Work with customers to develop a payment plan that is affordable and sustainable, taking into account the impact of family violence.
    • Refer customers to appropriate support services, such as family violence shelters or counselling services.
  • The customer should:
    • Provide the creditor with accurate information about their financial situation.
    • Cooperate with the creditor in developing a payment plan.
    • Make all payments on time, to the extent possible.
• Enforcement: The creditor will enforce its policies against customers who abuse the system or who fail to cooperate with the creditor.

This is just a sample policy, and the specific provisions may vary depending on the creditor's business and the laws of the jurisdiction in which it operates. However, this policy should provide a good starting point for creditors who want to create a supportive and compassionate environment for customers affected by family violence.

Here are some additional things that creditors can do to support customers affected by family violence:

• Use non-judgmental language when speaking to customers.
• Be understanding and patient.
• Offer to provide information about resources that can help, such as shelters, counselling services, and legal aid.
• Refer customers to a financial counsellor who can help them develop a budget and plan to pay off their debts.
• Be willing to work with customers to create a payment plan that is affordable and sustainable.
• Avoid contacting customers at their homes or work if they have expressed concerns about safety.
• Document all interactions with customers in a confidential manner.

By taking these steps, creditors can help to ensure that customers affected by family violence have the support they need to get back on their feet financially.

• Define family violence and its impact on finances. Employees should understand the different types of family violence and how it can impact a person's finances. They should also be aware of the signs that a customer may be experiencing family violence.
• Teach employees how to identify and respond to customers affected by family violence. Employees should be able to identify the signs that a customer may be experiencing family violence, such as being hesitant to talk about their finances, making excuses for late payments, or being afraid of their partner. They should also know how to respond to these customers in a sensitive and supportive way.
• Train employees on creating a confidential process for customers to disclose that they are affected by family violence. Customers should feel comfortable disclosing that they are affected by family violence to their creditors. Employees should know how to create a confidential process for customers to do this.
• Teach employees how to work with customers to develop a payment plan that is affordable and sustainable. Employees should be able to work with customers to develop a payment plan that is affordable and sustainable, taking into account the impact of family violence. They should also be able to refer customers to appropriate support services, such as family violence shelters or counselling services.
• Teach employees how to document all interactions with customers in a confidential manner. All interactions with customers should be documented in a confidential manner. This is important to protect the customer's privacy and ensure that the creditor is complying with the law.

In addition to these specific topics, training should also cover general topics such as customer service, communication, and empathy. By providing comprehensive training, creditors can help to ensure that their staff are prepared to provide sensitive and supportive treatment to customers who are affected by family violence.

Here are some additional tips for training staff:

• Use real-life examples to illustrate the concepts being taught.
• Make the training interactive and engaging.
• Provide opportunities for employees to practice their skills.
• Follow up with employees after the training to ensure that they have retained the information.

By following these tips, creditors can help to ensure that their staff are prepared to provide the best possible service to customers who are affected by family violence.

When talking to a customer about debts, it is important to be aware of the possibility of family violence. Family violence can significantly impact a person's finances, and it is important to be sensitive to this when discussing debts.

Here are some tips for handling family violence when talking to a customer about debts:

• Be aware of the signs of family violence. These can include:
  • The customer being afraid of their partner or family member.
  • The customer making excuses for their partner's or family member's behaviour.
  • The customer being isolated from friends and family.
  • The customer having unexplained injuries.
• If you suspect a customer is experiencing family violence, ask them directly if they are safe.
• If the customer says they are not safe, offer to help them find resources. These resources can include:
  • A domestic violence shelter.
  • A legal aid clinic.
  • A counselling service.
• Do not pressure the customer to talk about their situation if they are not ready.
• Be respectful and understanding.

It is also important to remember that you are not responsible for solving the customer's problems. Your role is to provide information and support. If the customer needs help, they may not know where to find it.

https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/helplines/